|
Slicker than ever, Rapala's new Stainless Steel pliers
(continued)
 Durability
cont'd: Rapala addresses all these areas with the new SS pliers, not only is
the entire surface of the pliers coated with a nickel-zinc finish for corrosion
resistance, but the handles are now ergonomically shaped single piece grips. No
more two piece molded plastic grips. The surface of the grips are matte in
finish, and are shaped so well that rough grips are really no longer necessary.
The new pliers feel more precise
thanks to the constant even pressure provided by the leaf spring
Price & Applications:
The standard pliers come packed alone and retail for $9.99. Availability is
mixed at this point, with many retailers and e-tailers still carrying inventory
on last year’s Pro-Guide pliers. I walked right into a local retailer and picked
these up, and they also can be ordered from BassPro already.
The old spring weakened after
time, and teh old grips were not nearly as comfortable
The $9.99 price point for the
6 ˝” model is very reasonable, and in-line with what most fishing pliers run for
these days. The 8 ˝” model retails for just 2 dollars more. At this price point
the new stainless steel pliers are actually priced in between the Rapala entry
level Sportsman pliers and last season’s Proguide series.
The grips are more comfortable to
grasp, and are shaped well so even without a rough surface they feel secure in
your hands
The one thing missing from
the package is a Rapala sheath, something that came with the previous generation
Proguide pliers. Rapala does have an improved sheath this year but to get the
sheath you need to step up to the 19.99 Carbide Pro pliers which come outfitted
with a tungsten carbide cutter.
For saltwater anglers the
higher end model makes sense as the cutters will be useful for slicing through
heavy braided lines, but for freshwater angles the standard stainless steel
model should be just fine.
The cutters on the standard model
will do fine with mono and fluorocarbon lines, but if you work with braid a lot
then you will want the carbide pro pliers
While the pliers are very
durable the one downside of a complete stainless steel construction is that the
pliers do weigh just as much as conventional pliers. This isn't likely to be a
concern for boaters, or even most anglers on shore, but anglers constantly on
the go with all their gear, like fly fishermen, may yearn for a lighter pair of
pliers. The only way to achieve a lower total weight is with a reduced mass,
porting, or a complete substitute of materials. Aluminum pliers are much lighter
but not as well suited for heavy applications. The Stainless Steel Rapala pliers
effectively address the wide range of freshwater to medium saltwater
applications.
The pick tip makes it easy
to change out hooks on the fly
Ratings:
|
Rapala
Stainless Steel
Pliers
Ratings (?/10) |
| Construction/Quality |
The
Rapala Stainless Steel pliers are built out of quality materials and the
more corrosion resistant finish is a nice addition. We were skeptical about
the plastic leaf spring at first, but soon found it to be very reliable and
durable |
9 |
| Performance |
The
leaf spring is more reliable than single sided springs, and we found the
pliers felt more precise. The durability of the pliers in our test was good,
but long term tests will tell. There is a loop for a wrist lanyard but none
is provided, and unfortunately no sheath is included as well |
8 |
| Price |
Overall a reasonable price for a quality pair of pliers. We would definitely
pay a little more to get a sheath |
8.5 |
| Features |
This pair of pliers has a number of quality features including the spring,
crimps, cutters, and ergonomic grip. We hope a more complete kit will be
released soon |
8.5 |
| Design
(Ergonomics) |
Ergonomically the SS pliers are far better than the previous generation
model. The only thing that would make these pliers even better is if they
were just a bit lighter, but for most ultralight pliers consumers have to
turn to aluminum |
8.5 |
| Application |
The
standard SS pliers will do just fine for freshwater applications, but
saltwater anglers that work with braid will want the Carbide Pro model |
8 |
|
Total Score |
8.41 |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus |
| J
Corrosion resistant finish |
L
No wrist lanyard or sheath bundled |
| J
Center leaf spring provides even counter
pressure |
|
| J
Ergonomic handles |
|
| J
Reasonable price |
|
The 6 1/2" pliers make it easy to
get to deeply hooked points
Conclusion: If you are
a freshwater angler the updated Stainless Steel Rapala pliers are a definite
upgrade from the previous generation Sportsmen and Proguide series. At the
current time all we could find were the pliers by themselves, and we hope that
down the line they will be sold in kits (complete with a lanyard, sheath, and
snips like their predecessors). Evaluated just by the tool alone the SS pliers
are a great deal for the money. Impressive upgrades include the more reliable
leaf spring, new corrosion resistant finish, and more ergonomic grips. If you
are a saltwater angler you will want to step up to the Carbide Pro pliers which
feature all of these features plus a tungsten carbide cutter designed to handle
tougher braided lines. The new Stainless Steel pliers are as good as they look,
and help prove once again that the brand name “Rapala” represents so much more
than just the lures we are all familiar with.
|
